Summer vacation

can typically mean a trip to the beach but that also translates into either

a long car ride or expensive airfare. Unless, you head to The Beach at

Clayton County International Park. The Beach will be the site of the seventh

annual Beaux-Arts Barbecue Beach Party this Friday and Saturday.

The party is

an arts and entertainment festival that features a $10,000 Memphis in

May sanctioned barbecue cooking contest for professionals and the Backyard

Barbecue contest for local teams. Teams come from all over the state as

well as the Southeast to win awards and bragging rights. In addition to

the barbecue, visitors will get a chance to dance to live music and view

artist demonstrations and displays.

The party starts

on Friday at 6 p.m. as teams set up their Hog Wild decorations and compete

for Best Beach Party. Judging lasts from 8-9 p.m. The BBQ Arena will feature

an Anything Butt...(pork) contest where competitors can cook catfish,

chicken, gator or King Cobra if they choose. Championship Barbecue will

be served at $5 a plate. After eating lots of barbecue, visitors can peruse

the yard and folk art on display along the festival walkway. Friday night's

entertainment will be provided by The Roy Mitchell Band.

The party starts

Saturday at 10 a.m. and will last until 10 p.m. Awards will be presented

for Best Booth as well as professionals awards where there's money, trophies

and bragging rights involved and local teams competing in the Backyard

Contest. There will be a dance festival from 12-4 p.m. hosted by Dance

with Donna Webb and artists along the walkway from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Also on hand

on Saturday will be Loran Smith, known to many University of Georgia football

fans and author of "Let The Big Dog Eat" and Dexter Weaver,

owner of Weaver D's delicious Fine Foods and author of "Automatic

Y'all: Weaver D's Guide to the Soul." The Barbecue Championship Awards

will be presented at 6 p.m. in St. Kitts Pavilion and Saturday night's

activities will conclude with the Elvis Extravaganza National Impersonator

Contest. Admission to the Elvis Extravaganza National Impersonator Contest

is $5 and it is recommended that visitors bring beach blankets or lawn

chairs.

Park admission

is $2 a car. For schedules, additional ticket prices and more information

visit Arts Clayton on-line www.artsclayton.org and click on the Beaux-Arts

link or phone 770-603-4010.

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